Roller coasters have long been some of the most well liked rides at amusement parks. Roller coasters normally have an endless track loop. Riders load and unload at a platform or station, typically at a low elevation. At the beginning of each ride cycle, a roller coaster car or a train of cars, is generally towed or moved up a relatively steep incline of an initial track section to the highest point on the entire track. The car is then released from the high point and gains kinetic energy, which allows the car to travel entirely around the track circuit or loop, and return back to the loading/unloading station. The roller coast track typically includes various loops, turns, inversions, corkscrews and other configurations intended to thrill the riders.
Racing or dueling rolling coasters typically have two side by side endless track loops, with the tracks parallel to each other. In this way, a roller coaster train on the first track can "race" with a roller coaster train on the second track. This well known "racing" feature provides added thrills and excitement for the riders. Generally, the roller coaster trains and tracks in dueling or racing coasters are made to be nearly as equivalent as possible, to provide for more competitive "racing". If one coaster train or track is consistently faster than the other, the racing coasters will increasingly be spaced farther and farther apart, as they progress over the track, and the sensation of racing will be lost.
In the operation of racing coasters, each coaster is towed on its track to side by side high points. The coasters are then launched or released simultaneously. As the coasters are propelled purely via gravity, the coasters will be evenly matched only if the coaster speed related variables (such as coaster payload, coaster wheel bearing efficiency, coaster wheel concentricity, wind resistance, coaster tire to track resistance, etc.) are comparable. If the combinations of these variables are comparable, then the racing coasters will be evenly matched, and will travel at the same speed over their tracks. However, these combinations of variables will more often than not result in one coaster train being significantly faster than the other, thereby undesirably reducing the advantages of racing coasters. Consequently, some of the excitement and thrills intended in the design of the racing roller coasters is often lost due to these types of variables.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved racing roller coaster. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.